New Delhi, Sept 15: Wholesale price inflation (WPI) returned to positive territory at 0.52% in August 2025, ending two months of deflation, as food articles and manufactured goods saw price increases, government data showed on Monday.
WPI-based inflation had stood at (-)0.58% in July and (-)0.19% in June, while it was 1.25% in August 2024. The industry ministry attributed the rebound mainly to higher prices of food products, manufacturing, non-food articles, non-metallic mineral products, and transport equipment.
Food articles remained in deflation but at a softer pace of 3.06% in August, compared to 6.29% in July. Vegetable prices spiked, with deflation narrowing to 14.18% in August from 28.96% in July.
Manufactured products saw inflation rising to 2.55% in August, up from 2.05% in July, while fuel and power continued in deflation at 3.17%, compared to 2.43% a month earlier.
On the retail side, inflation edged up to 2.07% in August after declining for nine straight months since November 2024, driven by higher prices of vegetables, meat, fish, and eggs.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which factors in retail inflation for monetary policy decisions, kept the benchmark repo rate unchanged at 5.5% last month. (Agencies)
